20 Hour Transports

[dahlio]

Are you given local hospitals along the route in case something goes terribly wrong. You can't work a code when you're still 4 hours away from the receiving hospital. Also, how does this rest stop work. You get 10 minutes, and then your partner gets 10 minutes. I heard this and didn't say this must suck, more...challenging. Good Luck.

[kristinaemtb]

WOW! These kind of trips are an everyday occurrence for us. We have a contract with the VA. hospital here, so we do a lot of West Virginia to Salem VA, Richmond VA , Baltimore and Charlotte NC. trips. And other cases of CCT transports. And we never get to know in advance to a call. We have had to transport to Baltimore at 2am(remind you that we start our 24 hour shifts at 7:30am and have ran all day long). I once had a patient have to go 4 hours away just for a doctors appt. and have to be on that stretcher the whole time. And it's hard if they put you on the truck with someone who is not allowed to drive. It is very hard to make these trips, and is not safe!!! But, hey....I just work there.

[paramedicmike]

My question is since you have no training for changing her and they don't expect you to preform that duty or have a CNA that can, couldn't that be considered neglect of ethical responsibilities referring to "serve the needs of the patient with respect for human dignity"? Personally I would feel embarrassed if I went to the bathroom on myself and couldn't have it cleaned up till I reached the hospital

I could be wrong I'm only a student

Or you could be right on the money.

-be safe

[BushyFromOz]

You guys are getting screwed! There would be major industrial action if this was happening as a matter of routine operations, though im sure it does happen "unofficially"

[CBEMT]

My old job would send a crew of three for a run like that (it's happened a few times). Spreads out the driving considerably more. Hell, you can change positions while sitting in traffic in NJ, NY, and CT, don't even have to pull over.

I never got picked for those though, it would've been overtime for me. Farthest I've ever gone on a transport is New York City twice. The first one was during a 24- left at about 2 in the afternoon, got back sometime around midnight (traffic both ways was murder). Second one, left about 5pm, got back at 2am and punched out. Got lost in Harlem, that was a blast. Stopped for dinner and gas (separately) both times.

Incidentally, I believe MA still requires those plastic bedpans, urinals, and a roll of toilet paper on all ambulances.

[JPINFV]

^

My company required bed pans and urinals on the units. The bed pans went in the same category as the traction splint on things never used, but I have had a patient use a urinal a few times.

[Dustdevil]

I'm with CBEMT on this one. This is a three man job. I've done similar trips. Drove from Dallas to Detroit once to pick up a stroke victim and bring her home to Dallas. There were three of us driving non-stop, with one asleep on the squad bench at all times. We still caught a motel room in Detroit for a few hours to shower and nap before pickup time. But with it only being 16 hours, you should be able to pull it off. I'd still want a third man though. And I agree, it would preferably be somebody with nursing experience.

I'm writing down names from this topic. All you people who say you can't change a diaper, I'm going to remind you of that the next time you start mouthing off about how you ought to be able to work as a nurse without all that extra education.

[Just Plain Ruff]

let me put my 2 cents in on this diaper changing thing.

for those of you who say you won't change a diaper why dont' you crap in your pants and leave it in there for 4 or so hours. See how uncomfortable you are.

Jeesh, changing a diaper is nothing. If you refuse change a diaper then I have doubts about you.

[medicmole]

In BC we are not allowed to work in excess of 16 hours without an 8 hour break. I have seen patients that needed to be transported 8 or 9 hours by road; what we do is meet a crew from the receiving community half way and exchange the patient at a local hospital. This works well for us being a provincial service but may be a bit more difficult with different services involved.

[WestSideBorderPatrol]

Wow, it's been interesting reading all of the replies.

So today I stopped by my service and spoke with the person who is in charge of putting this transport together. Basically I told them that I didn't feel comfortable doing an atleast 16 hour transport with just 2 crew. I gave them the ultimatum of either finding another driver to send with us, or to find another driver to replace me, OR to let us get some rest before returning home by staying at a cheap motel or something. Hell, I'd take staging in a Wal*Mart parking lot and sleeping in the unit. lol.

I wasn't sure how me telling my employer this would go. Considering that whenever you refuse to go on a call, its a mandatory 30 day suspension. :? But they were obliging and gave us a 3rd crew member. So now there is 3 of us on this transport which should make it go a lot smoother. It's still going to be one hell of a trip, but this way it should be more manageable and safer for everyone.